Amerigroup Partners with axialHealthcare to Fight Opioid Abuse in
Tennessee and Improve Pain Care for Members

June 14, 2017 08:00 AM Eastern Time

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Amerigroup Tennessee, a statewide provider of Medicare and Medicaid
managed care services, has joined forces with axialHealthcare, a
national leader in pain management and pain medication solutions, to
help curb the opioid epidemic in Tennessee. Together, Amerigroup and
axialHealthcare will help drive opioid prescribing best practices and
mitigate opioid misuse by arming Amerigroup providers with advanced
analytical data, decision support tools and educational resources on
evidence-based pain care. For Amerigroup Tennessee members who
experience chronic pain, this new partnership includes a mobile app that
tracks pain triggers, offers alternatives for managing pain and connects
users to a chat function for advice from expert care teams.

“Opioid use has become an issue of national concern, and Amerigroup has
made a commitment to being part of the solution by working with partners
to better manage prescribing as well as facilitate early identification
and treatment of addiction”

“Opioid use has become an issue of national concern, and Amerigroup has
made a commitment to being part of the solution by working with partners
to better manage prescribing as well as facilitate early identification
and treatment of addiction,” said Al B. King, president of Amerigroup
Tennessee. “With the help of axialHealthcare, we are helping our
providers to treat dependency more effectively and helping our members
achieve a healthier, better quality of life.”

The Centers for disease Control and Prevention report that between 2000
and 2015 more than half a million people across the U.S. died from drug
overdoses, and 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. In
2015, the latest year for which data is available, more than 1,450
Tennesseans died from drug overdoses that were primarily attributed to
opioids, including prescription opioids. A 2016 Tennessee Department of
Health annual report also indicates that more than 8.5 million opioid
prescriptions were written for Tennesseans in 2015 alone.

“While opioids can be effective in treating acute pain, there is
mounting evidence that opioids are less than effective in treating
chronic pain—and can actually do more harm than good,” said Dr. D. Mark
Mahler, Amerigroup Tennessee medical director. “Amerigroup has taken an
innovative approach to addressing opioid misuse and abuse by engaging
axialHealthcare to extend tools and resources to our providers and
members that can effectively improve quality of care and enhance health
outcomes.”

The axialHealthcare program will provide more complete patient
information to providers at the point of prescribing. Physicians with
six or more Amerigroup members who use prescription opioids will receive
monthly reports that identify patients at risk for poor outcomes,
compare their prescribing patterns to peers within their specialties,
and offer decision support guidance. Evidence-based best practices will
help providers determine the safest and most effective pain management
solutions for their patients. Amerigroup members receiving pain
management therapy will also benefit from tools that engage them in
their care and tailor treatment to meet their individual needs.

“We are pleased to partner with Amerigroup Tennessee and begin offering
our unique pain care capabilities to support physicians and patients
while reducing opioid misuse,” said axialHealthcare Chairman and CEO
John J. Donahue. “Amerigroup Tennessee and axialHealthcare are committed
to improving care for patients in pain throughout Tennessee."

ABOUT AMERIGROUP TENNESSEE

Amerigroup Tennessee helps improve health care access and quality for
approximately 436,000 Tennessee residents who participate in the state’s
various Medicaid programs. Amerigroup serves Tennesseans by developing
and delivering innovative care management programs and services.
Amerigroup Tennessee members are assured care that is not only
accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and
patient-centered. It provides ongoing community relations and outreach
to encourage members to become active participants in their health care.
For more information about Amerigroup, please visit our website at www.myamerigroup.com/tn.

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